Christmas Shows?

[GEP]

5 hours ago, PSC said:

I went and visited the art market i talked about in my earlier post. I saw nothing in the way of covid changes by the organizer other than a sign at the entrance advising social distancing and mask. The tents were right up against each other and back to back. Show goers with no masks and some vendors without any on either.  So glad i decided not to sign up. 

Florida will be very interesting to watch in the coming months. They opened up for festivals in October and haven’t slowed down. There’s no shortage of artists who are willing to take the risk. It could be a recipe for disaster. 

[Mark C.]

Most fairs out west are cancelled the few that do operate are booths spread out and lots of must wear mask signs and a folks running down the non maskers. That was at a AZ show a friend did two weeks ago.

I know of NO Califonia shows . all mine in Wa state and Nev where cancelled for 2020.

Its really up to us to decide our own risk if you are going to do a show at thais time. How hungry are you and where do you live would pay a big part in this . Since much of the country is not wearing masks still (we lead the world in this pandemic and we do know why)

I think a show can be safe . As long as it spread out with space between artists and patrons are masked and there are fewer of them. I also heard that all the shows I know folks have done there are less than 50% of the public attending

so you make about 1/2 as normal. For me its a private or personal sale time and I'll pass on any large show-not worth it.

[Callie Beller Diesel]

Frankly, I'm studying up on using Facebook and instagram ads in order to try reaching some more people for a last minute online sale, and if that works, I'll look at some methods to use them to increase my email list. I spent yesterday in a tutorial, and making sure I have everything set up properly so I can track metrics. I will report back when I have more information. Would anyone be interested in a separate thread on a running observation of that process, whether it succeeds or fails? 

It sounds like while initial vaccinations will begin in the early part of next year for essential services and the most vulnerable, widespread public inoculations won't begin here until September. I can't just wait that out and hope shows will be the answer, and my email list is only about 150 people. While that was enough to help this year, it sure wasn't enough to live off of by itself. Mea's right, it needs to be refreshed regularly. And if and when we can get together in public like we're used to doing again, the online stuff will be another tool in the box.

[Mark C.]

Its a great time to get your stuff marketed other ways.Web based or other ways its worth it in the long run.

For me its been wholesale and consighnment keeping the income coming in. The 4 organic markets are selling like crazy as folks are food shopping no matter what and when they see gifts like pie plates they cart them up with the food.One Market has got my meduim large forms in it for xmas like small baking dishes and smaller oval platters.Candle holders have been popular as well.The markets are a lot of work as you deliver every week or whenever they need stock.I have one market thats every week two other every two weeks. The 4th is whenever the e-mail list comes in.Its more work than a traditional gallery drop off.

[Mark C.]

One of my galleries carries my pottery online . Lately I send them any of the business I'm to busy to deal with. and that all mail order now that my ship date has passed. She is working out all the headaches of selling 20 different colors in 35 forms -These headaches are why I never want to do that in the 1st place. When the lockdown hit mid march she took the lead and shifted to putting loys of stuff online and for awhile 1/2 the sales where my pottery (Her shop is my best  single outlet) not counting organic markets. The downside is all the work that e shop entails . The bigest downside is she now is asking more for spacific colors on forms. Thats something I do not like to galze from a list. I like the freeform of glazing what I feel is needed and not a list from anyone. Its always been that way for me. I love glazing but it my way that day not a list from any shop.